What the Aesthete really wants is...

As you are probably aware, the Aesthete's choices are determined by the earning power of a mid-career academic so I tend to avoid the wilder fringes of motoring mania. Hence no McLarens or Pagani Huayras for this boy. The real world of car ownership is much more interesting although some of these purchases may stretch the budget out of shape for a few years.   

 

A 1940s streamliner. 

Keep your monstrously over valued Bentley Continentals and give me a Packard Clipper Super Custom Coupe in gunmetal grey. Preferably the straight eight version although the short nose of the six actually helps the proportions. One of the last American cars with any sort of dignity and now available at laughable prices compared to where they were originally situated in the market. Alternative? A 1934 Airflow Desoto Coupe in the same colour.

A US/Italian hybrid.

A Gordon Keeble would fit the bill here although strictly it is of British parentage. Styled by the inimitable Georgetto Guigiaro and fitted with cheap Chevrolet running gear, the Gordon Keeble was the best looking of all the attempts to bring these two motoring cultures together. One of the only cars ever made to look good in white. Alternative? An Iso Rivolta would do.

A buzz bomb.

Eteceterini are defined as small, hand built Italian sports and racing cars constructed in minute numbers. This Moretti 750 Grand Sport squeezed over seventy screaming horse power from its twin cam 750cc engine and the Michelotti styled coupe looked like a Ferrari built for a rich small child. Not cheap, needless to say. This one had an estimate of EUR135,000 on it three years ago. Alternative? For one twentieth of the price you could have a Fiat 850 Coupe.

A modern.

Everyone wants to stick the key in and go sometimes so I wait with anticipation for the new Alfa Romeo 4C. Everyone seems to have forgotten that Lotus was doing this fifteen years ago with the Elise but it looks like their day is done, leaving the field to the company that invented the small grand touring car in the first place. Alternative? A Tesla probably.

A wild card.

I will reveal the Aesthete's true desire which is to own a Fiat Dino Spider. The Pininfarina styling is awkward rather than elegant but I would put up with that for the dynamics and rarity. A true Dino would be better but they have receded from my grasp, leaving far less interesting Ferraris behind. Why not have the most exiting Fiat ever built instead? Alternative? A Lancia Flaminia GTE 3C Touring Coupe.

The Aesthete's picks for Labour Weekend

The Aesthete's Fleet

Well, the Lancia has been fettled to a high standard and is showing its appreciation by reporting all engine functions through the correct warning lights and instruments. I spent a long night under the dash panel with Gary the auto electrician. We got to know each other quite well down there and discussed modern philosophy while trying to get the fuel gauge to work properly.  Having dismissed the hopeless relativism of most post-modern theory, the gauge now works perfectly. 

1966 Humber Scepter. The Aesthete has always had a weakness for these attractive variations on the standard Rootes Group theme. It is probably something to do with Sunbeam Talbot 90s for which the Sceptre was the much more modern replacement. The four door coupe roofline is charming and the interior looks like a stray black Maserati has got at old Aunty Minx after the stable door was shut.

For: Smooth, great looking and surprising fun.
Against: Nothing much really. Would you rather have a Ford Corsair 2000? Thought not.
Investment potential: 3/10. I think these should be worth more but no sporting pretensions keeps the prices low.

1976 Peugeot 204 Estate. The pictures do not really do it justice for here is one of the sweetest driving small cars of the period and engineered to within an inch of its life. The 204 was an alloy OHC front wheel drive berline that remedied all of the design problems of the BMC range but at a cost. Buy one for the superb road comfort and pity the poor benighted Brits having to drive around in their preposterous Vanden Plas Princesses with sagging suspensions and howling gear trains.

For: Formidable!
Against: The vendor says parts are easy to get. On the distant frozen planet Peugeot perhaps.
Investment potential: 5/10. This is so cheap.

1972 Lotus Elan Sprint. The Elan coupe does not have quite the Emma Peel hair blowing in the wind despite the French silk scarf and sunglasses factor of the open cars but you may appreciate that when the weather is inclement and your partner will not move away from the fire. Which is why you never use your sports car, isn't it?

For: NZ new, etc.
Against: Nothing. Shoot him please, Mrs Peel.
Investment potential: 3/10. The price matches the international going rate.

1990 Audi Quattro. The restyled second series Quattro is less of a 'Take me as I am' proposition than the earlier cars but they are also a lot cheaper which makes me like them more. It depends if you see yourself as Walter Röhrl kicking up great plumes of gravel or Frau Röhrl on the school run. With this model Quattro, both roles could be yours. Bwahaha.

For: NZ new, etc.
Against:  Check carefully for expensive mechanical noises.
Investment potential: 2/10. Will never be as desirable as the ugly ones.

1966 Rover 3 Litre Coupe. The dream road test that I have never read would pit a 3 Litre Coupe against a Lancia Flaminia. They are remarkably well matched in terms of refinement and market niche and I would have either in my shed in an instant.  I could even stand the Tory accusations. If I was inclined that way I would paste a little picture of Margaret Thatcher onto the inside mirror. Yes, you know what I am talking about, don't you? Naughty boy.

For: All that aromatic leather. Grwwwllll.
Against. It is an automatic so you will create no mayhem on the dragstrip.
Investment potential: Approaching top money for a six cylinder but nothing outside a Flaminia would do instead.

On some faraway shore...

1965 BMW 700 Coupe. If you have looked at the new Alfa Romeo 4C you will have gathered that small is the new black. Working backwards from that point you get to my favorite era for European buzz bombs where the combination of slinky Italian styling and two cylinder engines causes me to fidget with my finger over the 'Buy' button. I almost bought a Deutsch Panhard, remember?

For: Getting close to the Aesthete's ideal car.
Against. Noisy, slow, queer looking and no parts. Perfect.
Investment potential: Oh, I dunno. 3/10 but less when you factor in shipping.

The Aesthete scratches an itch

The Aesthete's Fleet

I experienced mixed fortunes reassembling the Lancia's dash after the instrument repairer decided I should be the one to return it to going condition. Despite me asking who the auto electrician was between the two of us, I attacked the task with gusto and managed to get the oil pressure light to flash merrily in time with the indicators. There are eight warning lights and six instruments to deal with so you would need to be a mathematician to work out the potential number of errors if you reconnected everything at random. As I was doing this, there was a fantastic hailstorm so I had to push the car to another space in the workshop to avoid the flood. Of course I reversed it into a large red Massey-Ferguson tractor and broke the tail light. Total for the day with a new tail light? $700.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint. This is the first time one of these exquisite coupes has been offered on Trade Me, at least while I have been writing this blog. Someone is well underway turning it into a racer and it is probably too late to stop him so we will consider its merits for that purpose. Light, aerodynamic and as keen handling as any later rear wheel drive Alfa, this would be a delight on the track. It is not painted red and needs final fitting out and fettling. 15K is a steal in my view.

For: What do you expect me to say? The best small coupe of the period.
Against: A lot of expensive work done but could you rely on it?
Investment potential: 5/10. The vendor says quadruple your investment. Maybe.

1990 Ferrari 348 TB. Not everyone's favorite Ferrari but then they say that about a lot of them, making you wonder if all the fuss is worthwhile. This one looks like a cut down Testarossa which is a blessing really as the bigger car is just so unforgivably ugly. This one is being offered at no reserve which makes you think...

For: Its a Ferrari!
Against: So what!
Investment potential: 1/10. Derisory.

1974 Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5A. All the letters and numbers mean is that this is the nicest looking narrow-bodied Scimitar before they ruined Tom Karen's peerless and original styling with a series of awful face lifts. Scimitars are very cheap now but they have much to commend them, rust free bodies being just the start of it. The vendor is full of hooey but at least the car looks honest.

For: Princess Ann had one. So did pater.
Against: Some cheap parts from new spoil the effect. Like the plastic dash.
Investment potential: 3/10. Oh, come on. It's cheap.

1986 Audi Quattro Coupe. These are an acquired taste as well, at least in respect of the aesthetics. It looks like two cars brought violently together in some sort of Star Trek transporter beam mishap but they hold the road like nothing else from the era. Or nothing else that we mere mortals can afford, Porsche 959s being out of the question.

For: Vorsprung durch something or other.
Against: You would have to look at it.
Investment potential: 2/10 although they usually ask more than this.

1985 Fiat Strada 105TC. Not the mad bad Abarth 130TC but the slightly less eye rolling, foam flecked version without the torture chamber seats. Very few Strada of any type survive but not too many people are worried by that. There are a few flaws in the body – what is that odd defect along from the left door handle ? – but it looks promising if you want an alternative to a Peugeot 205.

For: A diminishing resource.
Against: Good riddance did I hear you say?
Investment potential: 3/10 if the panels are good. -3/10 if not.

One for the tasteful truck fancier.

1946 Hudson C-28 3/4 Ton Pickup.  I went to the Dunedin Autospectacular today, hoping I might see something as interesting as this Hudson truck. No such luck of course. It was full of shiny American imports that looked fresh from some Puerto Rican-run chop shop in East LA. Many and sad are the stories of 'show winners' that are little more than carefully shaped body filler in car form. Caveat emptor.

For: Somehow I can't imagine someone lashing up a Hudson.
Against: It's not a Packard.
Investment potential: 2/10 but who really knows.

 

 

More distractions from the Aesthete

The Aesthete's Fleet

I have got to say looking through the later years on Trademe is a godawful task. The cars sound either like a notifiable disease (HSV), your alcoholic auntie (Sylvia), an unsavory part of the body (Eunos), a dodgy therapy (Emina). someone blowing their nose into a handkerchief (Ciferro) or squeezing a spot (Vitz).  I am not sure how long I can keep it up so I am going back to my old ways.

 

1988 Lotus Eleven. This is a worthwhile sort of thing for those of you that have the time and a decent workshop at your disposal. The fruit of your labours will be one of the best looking race cars ever conceived although the box of bits that is being offered here has a somewhat chequered past. It looks like your 12.5K will buy you the right to register your creation as a Lotus 11. The rest of the hard work is up to you.

For: Look upon it as a Lotus 11 starter kit.
Against: No mention of an engine, wheels or gearbox.
Investment potential: 4/10. Depends how you go about it.

1960 Dadbuilt Special. The vendor's father got busy in the shed one afternoon and turned out this delightful special based somewhat loosely on the lines of a 1960 Corvette. He was going well until he got to the nose where a grill of unknown provenance produced an unhappy effect. Is it worth 5K? Perhaps not but individuality is yours for the price.

For: There has not been another and never again will be.
Against: Many things, I imagine.
Investment potential: 2/10. Te Papa may be interested for their shed collection.

1968 Volvo 122S. This comprehensively re-engineered Volvo is just the thing for the gentleman racer who might be right now rifling the small sum of 17K between his fingers and wondering what to blow it on next.  Look no further, James Hunt wannabes. Here is your car.

For: Lovely old thing. Might be decently quick too.
Against: More a classic rally prospect than a track car.
Investment potential: 6/10. The engine must have cost that to build, surely.

1951 Studebaker Champion. It looks like it needs a bit of finishing but then you would have a modern design classic of impeccable credentials that you could also drive. The jet nosed Studebakers knocked them dead in Turin, producing imitations on Lancia chassis that sell for a vast fortune. I suggest that if you showed up in this today, they would still whistle and throw their hats in the air.

For: Oh come on, look at it.
Against: The vendor is yelling something about a rare car. No price. Bad combo.
Investment potential: If he won't name a price I cannot say.

1964 Bond Equipe GTS. These smart little fastback coupes were based on a Triumph chassis and scuttle so are something like a cross between a Herald saloon and a Spitfire. Still with the rather scary rear axle location that made wet weather driving a life and death adventure, they are capable of development. I would like to see this on wire wheels with a 1500 engine and overdrive gearbox with the later rear end.

For: Fun for those that can see its charms.
Against: Can you be bothered?
Investment potential: 3/10. Parts are cheap.


For the brave...

1965 Glas GT 1300. Now all but forgotten, Glas was an independent German maker that was snapped up by BMW for their toothed belt OHC engines. Prior to that, they made modest numbers of these pretty Frua styled coupes. I only bring it to your attention as there is a very similar looking ASA coupe elsewhere on Bring a Trailer for a cool US195K. That's what a bit of Ferrari heritage will do for a car's value. No such luck for BMW though.

For: Beautiful, rare and cheap.
Against: Club evenings will be lonely.
Investment potential: 2/10. You do the work and I may buy it off you.